West Kaua'i cottage resort cleared to begin construction

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — A 250-cottage resort at Kapalawai on Kaua'i's west side has received its final permits from the Kaua'i Planning Commission.

The project by developer Lewis Geyser is on 166 acres at the century-old Robinson family estate outside Pakala Village.

Geyser and Robinson Family Partners plan to place cottages so each has a view of the ocean. The old mansion is to be restored and used as an office, museum and meeting site.

Under conditions placed on the project by the state Land Use Commission, the county Planning Commission and the Kaua'i County Council, the developers will be required to restore a historic inland fishpond on the property and preserve or restore other historic structures.

Some of the other sites include a Portuguese oven, burial sites and various rock walls.

Indirect or shielded outdoor lighting will be required throughout the project to minimize the impact on seabirds, notably Newell's shearwaters, whose fledglings can be confused by lights during their initial flights from mountain nesting burrows.

The Planning Commission on Tuesday granted the developer the final use permits for the project, which earlier required amendments to the state land use district and the county's General Plan and comprehensive zoning ordinance.

The developers hope to begin work by the end of the year and to have the resort open by the end of 2004.